Post Summary:
- What is an HGV?
- What are HGV Route Planners?
- The 10 Best HGV Route Planners
To optimize HGV route planning, there are plenty of considerations you should consider, and there are a plethora of route planner apps to choose from.
As the selection of providers is wide, deciding which one would be best for your company can be difficult.
What is an HGV?
HGV (Heavy Goods Vehicle) is the term used for any commercial truck with a gross combination mass of over 3,500 kilograms (7,716 lbs). Box vans, Lutons, flatbeds, tippers, drop sides, and such examples of HGVs.
LGV (Large Goods Vehicle) is also frequently used and can cause a bit of confusion. Under European and UK law, HGV and LGV licenses are the same, so there is no difference between the two terms.
The term MGV (Medium Goods Vehicle) is used within parts of the UK government to refer to vehicles weighing between 3500 to 7500 tonnes. According to the EU, these are also large goods vehicles, meaning HGV, LGV and MGV are the same.
What are HGV Route Planners?
As customers demand more precise deliveries and fuel prices show no sign of dropping, efficient route planning has become more complex and necessary than ever before.
For fleet managers who try to tackle this complexity with rudimentary tools, route planning ends up being time-consuming and inaccurate. As a result, a more significant part of the company’s operating budget is spent on last-mile delivery costs.
Heavy Goods Vehicle route planners, also known as truck route planners, are software apps that help fleet managers easily plan the most optimal routes for their vehicles, which could be restricted due to their size and height.
The software usually includes an interactive map that allows fleet managers to keep an eye on their vehicles, the traffic, and construction work on the road in real-time.
Maximizing time spent on the road allows more deliveries to be completed in less time and with fewer trucks and drivers.
Problems associated with inefficient routes include:
- Drivers being unable to complete several jobs per day
- Faster truck wear and tear
- Customer dissatisfaction due to long waiting times
- Higher fuel costs
- Inefficient utilization of resources
- Ineffective workforce management
An HGV route planner will not only save fleet managers hours on manual planning but also make life easier for drivers. Being on the road can be stressful and full of unpredictable situations. Still, with reliable technology, many inconveniences can be avoided.
The main advantages of using HGV Route planners are:
- Simplifies fleet and task management (real-time GPS-tracking and updates)
- Saves time (automatic route planning and task assignment)
- Facilitates journey planning (estimated travel and arrival times)
- Enables greater visibility and improves productivity (real-time updates and notifications)
- Allows rerouting in case of traffic jams, construction work, etc.
- Improves customer relations (on-time deliveries)
- Reduces fuel and vehicle maintenance costs (with most consumption-efficient routes)
The 10 best HGV Route Planners
We have listed the top 10 HGV Route Planners on the market to help you select the right one for your business. The final decision might depend on many factors, including the size of your company and specific budget.
#1Â GSMTasks Trucking Routing & Management
Pricing: €14 per month/user
Free trial: Yes (14 days)
Operates: Globally
GSMtasks is a popular cloud-based platform offering multiple services, including trucking routing and management. GSMtasks allows users to create optimized truck routes for fleets automatically and is ideal for efficient multi-stop route planning. Clients can manage their vehicles on the go on any smart device like a smartphone or tablet.
Several bonus free features include:
- Possibility to share real-time arrival times and a GPS-tracking link with clients
- Live EMAIL/SMS notifications to clients
- Electronic proof of delivery
- Free mobile app for drivers (works as a GPS-tracker and navigation device)
- In-progress and scheduled tasks visualized on a map
- Automatic re-routing
- See roadworks and closures
#2Â PTV Map & Guide
Pricing: €49 per month/user
Free trial: Yes (7 days)
Operates: Globally
PTV’s route planner allows users to choose preferences, input vehicles’ specific size, and height, and create specialized routes for HGVs.
Features include:
- Vehicle tracking
- Re-routing option
- Calculates routes
- Helps to avoid detours
- Shows required driving times
#3 Webfleet (former TomTom Telematics)
Pricing: Bespoke
Free trial: Yes (7 days)
Operates: the UK mainly
WebFleet is a complete software solution, that allows for tracking vehicles in real-time, plan routes, send personalized maps and see historical information via detailed reports. Fleet management can be done on any smart device, and the software is continuously updated.
Additional features include:
- Real-time tracking
- HGV route planner and re-routing
- Detailed reports
#4Â FleetWizard Automatic Routing CORAS
Pricing: Bespoke
Free trial: Yes
Operates: Globally
A software solution that allows clients to track vehicles in real-time, plan routes, send personalized maps, and see historical information via detailed reports.
Extra features include:
- Real-time vehicle tracking
- HGV vehicle route planning and re-routing option
- Detailed reports
- Fleet management
#5Â Paragon Advanced Routing & Scheduling Software
Pricing: Bespoke
Free trial: No
Operates: Globally
Paragon offers their clients advanced routing and scheduling software and a possibility to reassign trips if necessary.
Features include:
- Possibility to share real-time arrival times live
- Daily live route planning and task scheduling
- 24/7 reporting
- Option to share real-time arrival times live
- Daily live route planning and task scheduling
#6Â TruckStops Routing
Pricing: Bespoke
Free trial: No
Operates: USA & UK
Truckstops software is used for the planning and scheduling of vehicles, with a focus on heavy goods vehicles, vans, and cars. The software calculates time and distance and helps to create and dispatch multiple routes.
Some extra features include:
- Daily plan scheduling
- Time and distance calculator
- Multi-route planner
#7Â ProMilesOnline
Pricing: $49-$359 per month
Free trial: Yes (7 days)
Operates: USA
ProMilesOnline assists companies and drivers in planning legal trips that are safer and more efficient. Additionally, they specialize in helping trucking companies cut fuel costs.
Other features include:
- Estimated drive time
- Driving directions
- Fuel purchase optimization
- Toll charges
- Save or email trip info
#8Â Lorry Route
Pricing: ÂŁ100-ÂŁ6000 per year
Free trial: No
Operates: UK
Lorry Route software helps businesses managing HGVs plan compliant routes for their vehicles, taking into account all the road traffic requirements in the UK. The app takes vehicle dimensions and navigates them around the UK, to enable a safer, cheaper and greener route.
More features include:
- Live GPS-tracking and navigation
- Mobile app for drivers and an online solution
- Live updates and reports from local residents
#9Â CoPilot Truck
Pricing: €9.99 per month
Free trial: No
Operates: Globally
CoPilot’s Truck software helps customers plan routes that are safe for drivers and vehicles by avoiding hazards such as low bridges and truck-restricted roads. It allows preparing trips that are optimized for vehicles and the load.
Features include:
- API integrations
- Navigation app for drivers
- Real-time traffic information
- Driver performance measurement
#10Â Microlise Route Management
Pricing: Bespoke
Free trial: No
Operates: UK
Microlise software enables route planning and optimization and plans trips on the safest roads. They offer a range of other products and services including schedule management, fleet safety, and driver performance.
One other feature includes:
- Route planning based on vehicle specification
Conclusion
The selection of providers and features they offer is vast, and the price may be dependent on your specific needs, where you are located, how much you can afford to pay, and the size of the company. To make the final decision on what solution to go for, your business objectives must be clear.
We recommend using the free trial option whenever possible, and to pick a provider who caters to the global market to get a better overview of the software and its possibilities.
